Posted at 7:55 p.m., Aug. 5
Brazil officially opens the 2016 Olympic Games
With the raising of the Olympic flag and the lighting of the cauldron, Brazil officially opened the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro, capping a colorful opening ceremony filled with dancers and performances in Maracana Stadium.
The Olympic cauldron was lit by Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima, a former long-distance runner, who carried the last leg of the Olympic torch to officially open the games.
The stadium was lit with an elaborate display of fireworks as the South American country prepared for its first competitions Saturday morning.